News, Skilled Nursing Facility

In a memo addressed to State Survey Agency Directors on March 16, CMS announced their collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to create an online training course in infection control and prevention for long-term care staff. This free course will be available in Spring 2019 and is intended to provide specialized training in infection prevention and control, along with a certificate of completion after the trainees have passed an online exam following the course. The training is expected to take 16 to 20 hours.

The revised Requirements of Participation effective November 28, 2016 outlined the specific components of an effective infection control program including a system for preventing, reporting, investigating, and controlling infections and communicable diseases for residents and staff. These requirements were phased in over a 3-year period. The broader infection control program was effective November 28, 2016. In November 28, 2017, facilities were required to develop an antibiotic stewardship program to combat the growing concern of multi-drug resistant organisms. Phase 3 which includes additional components such as specialized training, is effective November 28, 2019.

The memo included the following topics that are expected to be covered in the course:

Featured Free Resource

Are you prepared to prevent financial burden under PDGM? To ensure success, agencies must take actionable steps now to fully understand exactly how the new Patient-Driven Groupings Model will impact coding scenarios and how these updates will affect revenue cycle.

Free Resources

What will your revenue and expenses look like for a Medicare Part A resident admitted under PDPM? Find out with this free questionnaire from The Association for Medicare Billing and Reimbursement (AMBR) for Long-Term Care.

The way agencies get paid and aspects of almost all areas of business will completely shift under the new Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). We’ve partnered with industry experts and rounded up crucial action-items you won’t want to overlook as you prepare for this massive change.

Are you prepared to prevent financial burden under PDGM? To ensure success, agencies must take actionable steps now to fully understand exactly how the new Patient-Driven Groupings Model will impact coding scenarios and how these updates will affect revenue cycle.

Complimentary Networking Event for Post-Acute Leaders

Our upcoming Post-Acute Forum takes place November 18 & 19, 2019 in Phoenix, AZ. This complimentary event is specifically designed for decision-makers at skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies.